Featuring: Thor Release: March 5, 1963 Cover: May 1963 12 cents Plot: Stan Lee Script: R. Berns Art: Joe Sinnott 13 pages
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 1.
The somewhat awkward title of this story underscores they haven’t yet decided that Thor’s magic hammer should have a name.
I look forward to the first battle with Loki where he doesn’t steal Thor’s magic hammer.
Now, the title also sounds pretty ominous. For we know that if Loki were to steal Thor’s magic hammer, the thunder god would be helpless within 60 seconds. Indeed, that is what happened in both of Thor’s previousencounters with Loki, both of which involved Loki stealing his magic hammer.
Featuring: Thor Release: February 5, 1963 Cover: April 1963 12 cents Plot: Stan Lee Script: Larry Lieber Art: Joe Sinnott 13 pages
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 1.
Joe Sinnott is best known as an inker. We’ve seen him twice so far in that capacity, inking Kirby for the introductions of Thor and Dr. Doom, respectively. This is the first time we see him as the primary artist.
This event was teased already because I chose to read the last Fantastic Four slightly out of chronological order and because I accidentally read the last Strange Tales out of chronological order.
Spiffy!
But this is one of three comics released February 5 to sport the spiffy new Marvel logo. The others are Tales to Astonish and Patsy Walker. We are not currently including the Patsy Walker stories in our Marvel reading, not until she becomes more intertwined with the superheroes than she currently is.
There’s a lot going on that will become a feature of Marvel covers for years. The first is that there’s a little box with the picture of the lead character. Now, Journey Into Mystery is still an anthology title. There are two other scifi/fantasy tales within this very issue. But Thor is the star, now. And that little box makes that clear.
Then we get the price, 12 cents. That’s been the price of all the comics since Fantastic Four #3 raised the price from 10 cents. Usually, the price has been in a circle somewhere on the cover. Now it’s in this new logo box.
And then the phrase “Marvel Comics Group”. Previously, there had been the letters “MC” in a little box on the covers.
5th alien invasion. 2nd by shape-changing aliens. But who’s counting?
Trapped by the Carbon-Copy Man! Featuring: Thor Release: January 3, 1963 Cover: March 1963 12 cents Plot: Stan Lee Script: Larry Lieber Art: Al Hartley 13 pages
I read this comic in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 1.
As has been the theme of recent posts, Jack Kirby seems to be on a bit of a break, letting Al Hartley fill in on this Thor story. As far as I can tell, this is Hartley’s only credit for Marvel superheroes. He’d been working with Stan Lee for at least 14 years at this point, in a variety of genres. Most notably, he’d been working on Marvel’s Patsy Walker since 1958. He’s quoted as saying he was more comfortable in the humor and teen drama genres than the superhero genre.
The Thunder-God and the Thug! Featuring: Thor Release: December 3, 1962 Cover: February 1963 12 cents Plot: Stan Lee Script: L.D. Lieber Art: Jack Kirby Inking: Dick Ayers 13 pages
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 1.
Ray Holloway is credited as the letterer. First credit we have seen for him. Art Simek has been doing most of the lettering when it’s been credited.
As with his battle against the Soviets, fighting mobsters is unworthy of Thor’s power. They really don’t stand a chance. The only trick that works is taking a hostage, usually Jane.
The Vengeance of Loki!
Featuring: Thor
Release: November 1, 1962
Cover: January 1963
12 cents
Plot: Stan Lee
Script: L.D. Lieber
Art: Jack Kirby
Inking: Dick Ayers
13 pages
Loki is Thor’s first repeat villain. Coming up with new villains every month is exhausting, so it’s worth repeating the best ones. Loki was the best one. (His competition is: the Stone Men from Saturn, the Executioner, Zarrko, and some Soviet soldiers.) The Fantastic Four have now fought Doom and Sub-Mariner three times each. Human Torch has faced off twice against the Wizard. Ant-Man hasn’t had a repeat villain yet, but I suspect we’ll see the return of Egghead soon enough. Hulk has a persistent nemesis in Thunderbolt Ross, but otherwise hasn’t encountered any actual villains twice. I think repeating villains is good, unless it’s overdone. It is how you develop good rivalries and get an arch-nemesis. But once Joker appeared in the old Batman comics, he started showing up in every single issue of Batman. It’s a balance of having some variety in the foes while giving a chance for a proper rivalry to develop. So far, these comics are doing well enough on the variety side.
We see Heimdall at his post for the first time, guarding the Bifrost. Loki is forbidden to leave Asgard, so he must somehow sneak past Heimdall. He does so by disguising himself as a snake. I really thought of Heimdall as being better than that.
On the Trail of the Tomorrow Man! Featuring: Thor Release: September 4, 1962 Cover: November 1962 12 cents Plot: Stan Lee Script: Larry Lieber Art: Jack Kirby Inks: Dick Ayers 13 pages
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 1.
There’s a pretty significant milestone here. Relatively full credits are given at the bottom of the first page. Many comics we’ve read had no credits at all. Others bore a signature here or there. The Fantastic Four have featured the signatures of Stan and Jack fairly prominently. For the first time, we see explicit credit given to Lieber and Ayers, along with a breakdown of who did what. Online sources were generally clear Lee and been doing the plotting on Thor (though it’s likely Kirby also deserves credit) and leaving the scripting to Lieber. The table of contents of the Marvel Masterworks edition simply refers to Lee and Lieber as writers. Fantastic Four #9 debuts the same day and also features similarly robust credits. We’ll cover that shortly.
Finally some credit to Dick Ayers
I’ve been noting the main credits above–writers and artists–as best I can, drawing from the credits given in the collection I’ve been reading or from online sources. I’m not trying to be a definitive source for credits, so have not been giving full credits myself. I don’t mention above the lettering of Artie Simek or the coloring of Stan Goldberg. I mean no disservice to their talents; it’s just not the focus of this blog. (Notably, I am often looking at these reprint editions, not the originals, and they have often been recolored… so I am anyway in no position to speak intelligently to Goldberg’s coloring).
The Mighty Thor vs. the Executioner Release: July 3, 1962 Cover: September 1962 12 cents Credits: Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers Writers: Stan Lee and Larry Lieber 13 pages
I read this comic in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 1. The issue doesn’t seem to have formal credits, but the first page has the signatures of Kirby and Ayers. The collection’s table of contents notes Stan Lee and Larry Lieber are the writers.
Correction: “Only my hammer and I…”
There’s a revolution in the country of San Diablo (mi español es muy rusty, but I think that translates to “Saint Devil”, which suggests the requirements for sainthood have really loosened). A pro-communist dictator has seized power, but is engaged in civil war with a democratic faction. The dictator is called the Executioner because he executes a lot of people. Dr. Don Blake travels on a medical expedition to help out in San Diablo. The Executioner interferes as he wants the people weak and subservient. But, well… Thor.
The Stone Men from Saturn!/The Power of Thor!/Thor the Mighty Strikes Back! Release: June 5, 1962 Cover: August 1962 12 cents Writing: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber Pencils: Jack Kirby Inks: Joe Sinnot 13 pages
Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor!
The credits are taken from the table of contents for Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 1. I don’t see any credits in the story itself.
How wild is it that Thor and Spider-Man were introduced on the exact same day? There are a lot of days in the last 80 years, and only so many super heroes as iconic as those two. In the last year, we’ve met the Fantastic Four and the Hulk. The pace is picking up. Within a year, we’ll meet many of our favorite heroes.
The opening splash page depicts Thor, with a distinctive “T” on his elaborate belt. Except for simplifying the belt, Kirby’s rendition of Thor will last for decades with only minor variations. Notice the smile on Thor’s face; we see that later in the issue as well. Kirby depicts Thor as full of mirth. There is generally a dynamic and playful quality to the art.
